Overview
- Facing the Cubs on Saturday in Chicago, Munetaka Murakami hit a solo shot and a two-run homer for his first MLB multi-homer game, snapping a 30-plate-appearance drought.
- The two blasts gave him 17 home runs in his first 45 big-league games, a total that trails only Gary Sánchez (19) and Rhys Hoskins (18) for that span, according to MLB’s Sarah Langs.
- It was the eighth game this season that Murakami and fellow rookie Colson Montgomery both homered, the most by any teammate pair in a team’s first 45 games, per Elias Sports.
- Chicago also got home runs from Miguel Vargas, Colson Montgomery, and Andrew Benintendi in an 8-3 win, with Cubs starter Jameson Taillon tagged for five homers.
- Murakami starred in Japan for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows with multiple MVP awards and a Triple Crown, and manager Will Venable praised his standard and said he expected the quick rebound.